Pot-cover.



J. F. FOSTER.

POT COVER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s, 1909.

1 9 1 41 ,4 5 Patented J 11116 1, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS co. PHOTOLITHCL, WASHINGTON. 0y (1y JAMES F. ros rnn, 0F Bate-A10, new YORK.

row-coves.

Specification of Letters 1 atent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

Application filed March 5, 19'0'91 Serial in. 481,255.

To all whom it may concern} Be it known that LJnM'ns 'F. Fos'rn'n, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Bufialo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pot-Covers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved handle for the covers of pots,'kettles and other vessels. I

Among other devices, a folding ring or loop pivoted to the cover has been employed forthis purpose, but such a handle is undesirable because its lack of rigidity renders it impossible to control the cover satisfactorily; Knobs and strap handles have also been used, but these offer the objection of rendering packing inconvenient and interfering with piling or nesting of a number of covers. Such covers have also been provided with detachable handles, but they are inconvenient to attach and liable to become lost.

The object of my invention is to provide such covers with a comfortable and inexpensive handle which combines the advantage of rigidity when the cover is in use with the capacity of folding closely against the same, so that the covers can be closely packed and will occupy less room on the shelves of dealers.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of a pot cover provided with the improved handle, showing the latter unfolded for use. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the cover, with the handle folded. Fig. 3 is a transverse central section thereof with the handle unfolded.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

A is the cover which may be of any ordinary construction, that shown in the drawings being provided with a number of raised concentric beads a, (1. having fiat upper sides.

The handle consists of a folding bail B of wire or other suitable material, hinged to the central portion of the cover and preferably of sufiicient width to receive several fingers of the hand, so that it can be comfortably grasped. In the construction shown in the drawings, it extends across the full width of the inner cover-bead a. Its ends are bent inwardly and pivoted to the top of said bead by sheet metal clips 0 the legs of which pass through slits in the cover and are bent against the underside thereof, as seen in Fig. 3.

for yieldingly interlocking them.

The handle B is rigidly held in its unfolded position by a folding brace D pivoted centrally to the cover and arranged to swing in a plane substantiallv at right angles to that of the handle. This brace preferably consists of a wire loop of smaller dimensions than the handle Z) having its inwardlybent end pivotally attached to the cover by a clip 6 similar to the clips 0 and arranged midway between the latter.

In order to reliably retain the handle and the brace in their unfolded positions, one or both of these parts are provided with means In the preferred construction shown, the intersectin-g portions of their top bars are formed with locking seats or indentations f, 7, respectively, the length or height of the brace being such that its indentation is sprung into engagement with that of the handle when the parts are fully unfolded. When thus unfolded and interlocked, the handle and brace mutually retain each other in position, forming together a practically rigid handle which affords a firm grasp and gives full control of the cover like an ordinary rigid knob, thus preventing tilting of the cover and avoiding all liability of burning the fingers.

To fold the handle for packing the cover or nesting it with others, it is only necessary to spring the brace out of engagement with the handle, or vice versa, when both members can be folded down upon the cover, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be observed that the distance between the pivots of the handle B is greater than the length or height of the brace D and that the free end of the brace when folded terminates short of said pivots and their bearing-clips 0. This construction and arrangement enables the handle and brace to be folded without overlapping or otherwise interfering with each other, permitting both to lie closely against the cover. In the construction shown, the brace is short enough to lie wholly within the space or central cavity bounded by the inner bead a.

The relative arrangement of the handle and the brace and their dimensions are preferably such that when the handle is folded on either side of the brace, its main longitudinal portion extends beyond and clear of the sides of the brace and the ends of its attaching clip 6, as shown in Fig. 2, thus allowing the handle to be folded against the cover without interference with the brace and permitting a number of such covers to be very closely packed, stored or nested.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cover having a folding handle provided at its ends with pivots journaled on the central portion of the cover, and a folding brace for the handle arranged between said pivots and having its pivot arranged substantially at right angles to the handlepivots, the free end of said brace, when folded, terminating short and clear of said handle-pivots.

2. The combination of a cover provided on its central portion with a raised annular bead, a folding handle having its ends pivoted to opposite portions of'said bead,and a brace for the handle hinged to the central part of the cover between the ends of the handle and constructed of a length to fold wholly within the space bounded by said bead.

8. A cover having a folding handle pivvided at its ends with pivots journaled on V the central portion of the cover, and a folding brace for the handle arranged between saidpivots and having itspivot arranged substantially at right angles to the handlepivots, the main portion of the handle extending beyond the sides of the brace and the free end ofthe brace terminating short of the handle pivots.

WVitness my hand this 25th day of February, 1909. r I

JAMES F. FOSTER. Witnesses:

C. H.- KENT,

. C; F. WEINMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G'. a a 

